Non-removable tamper resistant lid

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a tamper resistant lid ( 10 ) for a container ( 1 ). The lid ( 10 ) exhibits a center axis (X) and comprises an outer and an inner member ( 20, 40 ). The outer and inner members ( 20, 40 ) are further adapted to be substantially prevented from displacement along the center axis (X) with respect to each other. At least a part of the inner member ( 40 ) comprises threads ( 48 ) enabling a threaded connection to the container ( 1 ) by means of rotating the outer member ( 20 ) in a first direction. The lid ( 10 ) further comprises at least one stop member ( 51, 52, 53, 60 ) preventing the inner member ( 40 ) from rotation with respect to the outer member ( 20 ). The at least one stop member ( 51, 52, 53, 60 ) is adapted to be controllably disabled with a designated force after said inner member ( 40 ) has been connected to the container ( 1 ), so that the outer member ( 20 ) can be freely rotated with respect to the inner member ( 40 ) to thereby prevent removal of the lid from the container ( 1 ). The present invention enables the sealing of a container, while substantially preventing the container from being reopened.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the national stage entry of PCT/EP2011/058960, filedon May 31, 2011 which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a tamper resistant lid for sealing anopening of a container while at the same time, providing a tamperresistant lid which substantially prevents access to the container bypreventing the lid from being removed from the container after it hasbeen connected thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hospitals, care centers, and the like, generally tend to use more andmore disposable medical devices in their daily operation. Disposablemedical devices are used as they generally require no post use sorting,sterilization or washing facilities. Instead, as their name suggests,they can simply be disposed. The amount of medical waste, such as usedneedles, contaminated medical devices, e.g. infusion sets or the like,is thus growing. Although there are several advantages with disposableitems, medical waste generally tends to require considerations duringand after disposal.

A nurse taking a blood sample using a needle, places the needle in asafe environment, i.e. an environment which has a limited access. Thelimited access after use prevents staff from unnecessary exposure andthe risk there from. Sealable containers are frequently used for thispurpose. Generally such sealable containers are made from stainlesssteel, aluminum or a similar metal, and after being filled with medicalwaste, the containers are simply sealed using an ordinary screw lid. Thesealed containers can thereafter be brought to an incinerator fordestruction or optionally for sterilization before going to a recycleplant or a land fill.

However, during use, e.g. as the sealed containers are moved to theirend station, persons handling the sealed containers are exposed to therisk of accidentally opening the sealed container, or for any otherreason, the sealed container would be opened or break. As such there isa constant need to improve the methods and devices used for sealingcontainers, and especially for sealing medical waste containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to at least partly solve orreduce the effects of the drawbacks mentioned above. More specificallythey are at least partly solved or reduced by a tamper resistant lid fora container according to the present invention. The lid exhibits acentre axis and comprises an outer and an inner member. The outer andinner members each comprise an outer and inner surface wherein at leasta part of the outer surface of the inner member is substantiallyadjacent at least a part of the inner surface of the outer member. Theouter and inner members are further substantially prevented fromdisplacement along the centre axis with respect to each other. The innermember comprises connection means enabling a connection to the containerby means of rotating the outer member in a first direction. The lidcomprises at least one stop member preventing the inner member fromrotation with respect to the outer member. The at least one stopmember(s) is/are adapted to be controllably disabled with a designatedforce after the inner member has been connected to the container, sothat the outer member can be freely rotated with respect to the innermember to thereby prevent the removal of the lid from the container.

The present invention provides for a tamper resistant lid which enablesan improved handling in terms of safety and work environment. The tamperresistant lid effectively reduces the risk of accidentally openingsealed containers, while permitting a secure sealing of the container.

In an embodiment according to the present invention, the at least onestop member can be adapted to be disabled with a designated ruptureforce. The designated rupture force can be imparted to the at least onestop member by moving the outer member, with respect to the innermember, or by moving the at least one stop member itself in a designateddirection or a first direction. Generally, the at least one stop memberis moved with respect to the outer member. In this way, the at least onestop member can be disabled by rupturing the at least one stop member,and/or optionally the at least one stop member can be disabled by beingremoved.

In cases where the at least one stop member is arranged to fixedlyconnect the outer and the inner member of the lid, the at least one stopmember can be ruptured by subjecting the at least one stop member to adesignated rupture force, thereby enabling the outer member to be freelyturned, i.e. rotated, with respect to the inner member. Alternatively,or additionally, at least one of the stop members can be adapted to bein working cooperation with the inner member. The at least one of thestop members can be in the form of a removable protrusion member,cooperative with a groove on the inner member for example.

According an embodiment to the present invention, at least one stopmember is controllably disabled by a designated force in a designateddirection. The designated direction can be in the same direction as thefirst direction. This is advantageous as a user simply continues therotational motion, when screwing the lid onto e.g. a container, todisable the at least one stop member. Optionally, the designateddirection can be in the direction of the centre axis (X). This can beadvantageous in cases where a user want to make sure that a container isto be closed, but not disabling the at least one stop member. This canbe done as the lid is threaded onto e.g. a container, while the at leastone stop member is disabled by moving e.g. the outer member, withrespect to the inner member in a direction substantially perpendicularto the first direction along which the lid is screwed onto a container.A user does thereby not risk disabling the at least one stop member(s)accidentally.

The at least one stop member can be arranged at many different locationsdepending on the desired designated direction for disabling the at leastone stop member. Suitable locations are substantially between the innerand outer members or between the inner and outer members, as this is asimple yet effective way of preventing the outer member from motion withrespect to the inner member, thereby enabling the lid to be screwed on acontainer, while afterwards disabling the at least one stop member.Optionally, the at least one stop member can be arranged between theinner surface of the outer member and the outer surface of the innermember.

In an embodiment according to the present invention, the at least onestop member can extend around the centre axis, e.g. as a ring or apolygonal, continuous or discontinuous around the centre axis. If thereis a plurality of stop members, they can be positioned symmetricallyaround the centre axis for distributing the required designated ruptureforce required to disable the stop members. Optionally, if there is onlyone stop member, the stop member can in itself be arranged symmetricallyaround the centre axis, preferably between the inner and outer members.This will provide a good rupture surface between the outer and innermembers after disabling the stop member. The inner and the outer memberswill not be inclined to reengage each other, thus not enabling the outermember to move the inner member. This advantage is also prominent if theat least one stop member is arranged to intersect the centre axis, i.e.is positioned between the inner and outer members and at the centre ofthe circular base of the inner and outer members.

The at least one stop member can be adapted to be controllably disabledby removal from the outer member. It/they will thus be prevented frominteracting with the inner member to stop the inner member from beingturned with respect to the outer member. According to one embodiment ofthe present invention, the at least one stop member can be removed byimparting a designated rupture force to the at least one stop member. Inthis embodiment, the at least one stop member is fixedly attached to theinner and/or the outer member before being removed by the impartedrupture force.

In an embodiment according to the present invention, the inner member,outer member and the at least one stop member can be integrally formedin one piece of material, e.g. by form molding or similar. Optionally,the outer and inner members are formed from separate pieces of material.The at least one stop member can be integrally formed by one piece ofmaterial with either the inner member and/or the outer member.

The present invention further relates to an assembly of a medical wastecontainer and the tamper resistant lid as described herein. The assemblyspecifically relates to all the different embodiments described aboveand below, and as outlined in the claims. The present invention alsorelates to the use of a tamper resistant lid as described herein, oraccording to any of the claims, for sealing a medical waste container.

The present invention also relates to a method for sealing a containerusing a tamper resistant lid as described herein. The method comprisesthe steps of;

-   -   providing the lid;    -   screwing the lid onto the container;    -   disabling the at least one stop member.

The method enables the sealing of a container which sealing effectivelyprevents the container from being reopened.

The at least one stop member can be; one stop member, two stop members,three stop members, four stop members, or more. In some embodiments itcan be advantageous to have 2-50 stop members, 5-40 stop members oroptionally 10-30 stop members. According to an embodiment of the presentinvention, the stop member or the plurality of stop members can beformed by a pin, e.g. press fitted, which is arranged between the innerand outer member.

According to an aspect, an embodiment relates to a tamper resistant lidfor a container. The lid comprises a centre axis X, an outer and aninner member. The outer and inner members are further substantiallyprevented from displacement along the centre axis X with respect to eachother. At least a part of the inner member comprises threads enabling athreaded connection to the container by means of rotating the outermember in a first direction. The lid further comprises at least one stopmember preventing the inner member from rotation with respect to theouter member. The at least one stop member is adapted to be controllablydisabled with a designated force after the inner member has beenconnected to the container, so that the outer member can be freelyrotated with respect to the inner member to thereby prevent removal ofthe lid from the container. The present invention enables the sealing ofa container, while substantially preventing the container from beingreopened.

Suitable materials for the inner and outer members are polymericmaterials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane,biopolymers, e.g. PPC, polyprophylene carbonate and/or starch, or thelike, metals or alloys such as aluminum, alumina, brass, steel, iron orthe like. Combinations of the above mentioned materials are of coursealso possible such as a metal outer member having an inner member madefrom a polymeric material, such as plastics, e.g. polypropylene. Theouter member can advantageously be manufactured from a deformationresistant material such as steel or a thicker plastic material, toprevent or reduce the risk of that the outer member is deformed whensubjected to a force. Such force could be imparted when the inner memberis rotated by means of the outer member for example.

The inner member or outer member can be coated with a material to reducethe friction between the inner and the outer member. Optionally afriction reducing material can be positioned, chemically attached withe.g. adhesive or physically retained in position, between the inner andouter member.

DEFINITIONS

It should be noted that although it is said that removal of the tamperresistant lid is prevented after disabling the stop member, the term“prevented” is by no means to be interpreted as impossible to remove. Alid (or a container) can be broken whereafter the lid can be removed.Thus the term “prevented” is to be read as; prevented from removal usingreasonable efforts or otherwise normal procedures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in greater detail with referenceto the accompanying figures in which;

FIG. 1 shows a container and a tamper resistant lid according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the tamper resistant lid shown in FIG. 1and;

FIG. 3 a-3 b show a cross section of a tamper resistant lid according toa second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a medical waste container 1, hereafter referred to as thecontainer, for storing hazardous waste such as used needles,contaminated medical equipment or the like. The tamper resistant lid 10can however be used for any container to store hazardous material,goods, or the like. The container 1 can be sealed with a tamperresistant lid 10, also referred to as “the lid”, according to oneembodiment of the present invention. The lid 10 is suitably connected tothe container 1 by means of a threaded coupling using threads 2 arrangedon a neck element 3 of the container 1. The container 1 and the lid 10are depicted with a centre axis X extending through the centre of thecontainer 1 and the lid 10. When e.g. medical waste, in the form of usedneedles for example, has been placed in the container 1, the lid 10 canbe threaded onto the neck element 3 to seal the interior of thecontainer 1 from the ambient environment thus preventing access thecontainer 1 and the medical waste. The lid 10 comprises at least onestop member which is adapted to enable the lid 10 to be screwed onto theneck element 3 and, after being connected thereto, disable the lid frombeing unscrewed from the neck element 3, to thereby prevent access tothe interior of the container 1.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the tamper resistant lid 10 as shown inFIG. 1. The lid 10 comprises an outer member 20 substantially enclosingan inner member 40. The outer member 20 comprises a circular base 21having a circular periphery 22. A circular wall 23 extends around thecircular periphery 22, the circular wall has a proximal end 24 arrangedon the circular base 21 and a distal end 25 arranged remotely from thecircular base 21. The outer member 20 further exhibits an outer surface26 and an inner surface 27. At least the inner surface 27 can have asmooth surface. At the distal end 25 of the circular wall 23, acircumferential lock flange 28, projects towards the centre axis X. Thecircumferential lock flange 28 is substantially preventing the innermember 40 from movement along the centre axis X in a direction away fromthe inner surface 27 of the outer member 20. It should be noted thatalthough the circumferential lock flange 28 is said to prevent the innermember 40 from moving along the centre axis X with respect to the outermember 20, there can still be a play between the outer and inner members20, 40 permitting a small relative displacement of the outer and innermembers 20, 40.

The inner member 40 comprises a circular base 41 having a circularperiphery 42. A circular wall 43 extends around the circular periphery42. The circular wall 43 has a proximal end 44 arranged on the circularbase 41 and a distal end 45 arranged remotely from the circular base 41.The inner member 40 further exhibits an outer surface 46 and an innersurface 47. The inner surface 47 exhibits connecting means, such asthreads 48, for providing a threaded coupling with the threads 2 of theneck element 3 of the container 1. The distal end 45 of the circularwall 43 is in working cooperation with the circumferential lock flange28 of the outer member 20, to prevent the inner member 40 from movingalong the centre axis X and with respect to the outer member 20. As isnoted, the inner surface 27 of the outer member 20 is substantiallyadjacent the outer surface 46 of the inner member 40, however a smallplay is possible.

A plurality of stop members 51, 52, 53 is arranged between the outermember 20 and the inner member 40, to prevent the inner member 40 fromdisplacement, in this case from rotating, i.e. turning, with respect tothe outer member 20. The shown embodiment in FIG. 2 shows only threestop members 51, 52, 53 although the lid 10 is equipped with four stopmembers. The plurality of stop members 51, 52, 53 are arrangedsymmetrically around the distal end 45 of the circular wall 43 andattaches the circumferential lock flange 28 of the outer member 20thereto. As the lid 10 is screwed onto the neck element 3 of thecontainer 1, the plurality of stop members 51, 52, 53 are adapted torupture when being exposed to a designated rupture force, imparted by auser via the outer member 20. As the plurality of stop members 51, 52,53 rupture, the fixed connection between outer and inner members isdisabled, and the outer member 20 can be freely rotated with respect tothe inner member 40. As the outer member 20 can be freely rotated withrespect to the inner member 40, but is substantially prevented fromdisplacement along the centre axis X, the outer member 20 substantiallyencloses the inner member 40 and prevents access to the inner member 40for unscrewing the inner member 40 from the threads 2 of the neckelement 3 of the container 1. As such, the tamper resistant lid 10provides a lid which can be threaded onto an appropriate container, andsubsequently prevented from being unscrewed from the container, tothereby expose the interior of the container to the ambient environment.

The play, mentioned above, between the outer and inner members 20, 40permitting a relative displacement of the outer and inner member 20, 40,assists to disable the at least one stop member by permitting the outermember 20 to be imparted with a designated rupture force, e.g. in thedirection of rotation or in a direction along the centre axis X.According to an aspect of the invention, the at least one stop membercan be specifically configured to withstand a rotational motion whilebeing configured to rupture as a function of a designated force impartedin a direction perpendicular to the rotational motion, and vice versa.According to an embodiment, a user can thus easily attach the lid to thecontainer by a rotating motion and thereafter simply hit the lid withhis/hers hand with a motion along the centre axis X to provide thedesignated rupture force to the plurality of stop members.

FIGS. 3 a-3 b show a cross section of a tamper resistant lid 10,according to a second embodiment of the present invention. For the sakeof simplicity, only a part of the lid 10 is shown. The same referencesused above are used for the same features. The lid 10 comprises an outerand inner member 20, 40, each respectively comprising an outer and innersurface 26, 27, 46, 47, and a circular base 21, 41 having a circularwall 23, 43 extending around the periphery of the circular base 21, 41,as described above with reference to FIG. 2. The inner surface 47 of theinner member 40 is equipped with connecting means, such as threads 48.

The outer member 20 comprises at least one stop member 60, integrallyformed with the outer member 20. The stop member(s) 60 is/are in workingcooperation with a groove 63 formed in the outer surface 46 in thecircular wall 43 of the inner member 40. The stop member 60, while beingarranged partly inside the groove 63 of the inner member 40, as shown inFIG. 3 a, effectively prevents the outer member 20 from being turnedwith respect to the inner member 40, thus permitting the lid 10 to bescrewed onto the threads 2 of the neck element 3 of the container 1, asshown in FIG. 1. Optionally the at least one stop member can beintegrally formed with the inner member 40 and in working cooperationwith a groove or aperture formed in the inner surface 26 of the circularwall 23 of the outer member 20.

The stop member 60 is pivotally connected to the outer member 20 at apivot point 61 and arranged in an opening 64, i.e. a through aperture,in the circular wall 23 of the outer member 20. The pivot point 61permits the stop member 60 to be pivoted away from the groove 63 of theinner member 40, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3 a, and optionallyto be removed from the outer member 20 by fully rupture the connectionbetween the stop member 60 and the outer member 20 at the pivot point61. As the stop member 60 is removed from the groove 63, and removedfrom the outer member 20, the outer member 20 can be rotated, i.e.turned, clockwise or counter clockwise around the centre axis X, withrespect to the inner member 40. As the outer member 20 substantiallyencloses the inner member 40, the inner member 40 is effectivelyprevented from being removed for the container 1, after assembly withthe container 1. A grip member 65, extends away from the centre axis X,and is arranged on the stop member 60 enabling a user to readily gripand remove or displace the stop member 60. The shown embodiment can beprovided with one or more stop members as just described. Furthermore,the one or more stop members can be interconnected so that they all canbe removed with a single pull by a user.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, the opening 64 in the circular wall23 of the outer member 20 further supports the stop member 60 whenscrewing the lid 10 onto e.g. the neck element 3 of the container 1.More specifically, the side walls of the opening 64 provide for thesupport as the stop member 60 is substantially prevented from motion inany direction along the turning direction, i.e. the clock wise orcounter-clock wise rotational direction. The stop member 60 is thussnugly fitted in the opening 64 but is still permitted to be removedthere from by disabling the stop member 60 in a predetermined, i.e. adesignated direction, in this case, away from the outer member 20.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the distal end 45of the inner member 40 comprises a tilting surface 49 to enable a hooklike lock configuration of the inner member 40 with respect to the outermember 20 together with a tilting surface 29, arranged on thecircumferential lock flange 28 of the outer member 20. In a similarmanner, the periphery 42 of the inner member 40 can be provided with atilting surface to enable a smooth insertion of the inner member 40 intothe outer member 20 during assembly of the outer and inner members 20,40. As is noted, the stop member is also arranged with a tilting surfaceto simplify the assembly of the inner member 40 with the outer member 20when manufacturing of the tamper resistant lid 10. As the inner member40 is inserted into the inner member 20, the stop member 60 is pivoted,without rupturing, just enough to be displaced so that the inner member40 can be inserted into the outer member 20. As the lid 10, and theouter member 20 is screwed onto e.g. the neck element 3 of the container1, as shown in FIG. 1, the stop member 60 will automatically move, orpivot, into the groove 63 of the inner member 40. The stop member isthus advantageously biased in the direction of the centre axis X.

As is shown and described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 a-3 b, the atleast one stop member 51, 52, 53, 60 can be either fixed or movable.Common for the stop members 51, 52, 53, 60 is however that they all canbe disabled. In the shown embodiments, they are disabled by means ofimparting a rupture force to the at least one stop member(s) 51, 52, 53,60. There are however other ways of disabling the at least one stopmembers, e.g. the at east one stop member(s) can be removed, if they areremovably attached to the lid 10. Optionally the at least one stopmember can be disabled by heat, if using e.g. a heat sensitive adhesive,or dissolved, if using a solvent sensitive adhesive, or by other means.

It should be noted that even though the claims are directed to a lid fora container, the lid could comprise optional components, such as amembrane.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A tamper resistant lid comprising: a centreaxis; an outer member; an inner member; the outer member and the innermember each comprise an outer surface and an inner surface wherein atleast a part of the outer surface of the inner member is substantiallyadjacent at least a part of the inner surface of the outer member, theinner member having a connection means enabling a connection to acontainer by means of rotating the outer member in a first direction;and at least one stop member preventing the inner member from rotationwith respect to the outer member, wherein the outer member comprises alock flange in working cooperation with the inner member tosubstantially prevent the inner member from displacement along thecentre axis with respect to the outer member, the at least one stopmember attaches to the circumferential lock flange of the outer member,wherein the at least one stop member is adapted to be controllablydisabled with a designated force after the inner member has beenconnected to the container, so that the outer member can be freelyrotated with respect to the inner member to thereby prevent removal ofthe tamper resistant lid from the container.
 2. The tamper resistant lidof claim 1, wherein the at least one stop member is adapted to bedisabled with a designated rupture force imparted to the at least onestop member by moving the outer member or the at least one stop memberin a designated direction.
 3. The tamper resistant lid of claim 2,wherein the designated direction is in the same direction as the firstdirection.
 4. The tamper resistant lid of claim 2, wherein thedesignated direction is in the direction of the centre axis.
 5. Thetamper resistant lid of claim 1, wherein the at least one stop member isarranged substantially between the inner member and the outer member. 6.The tamper resistant lid of claim 5, wherein the at least one stopmember is arranged between the inner surface of the outer member and theouter surface of the inner member.
 7. The tamper resistant lid of claim6, wherein the at least one stop member is arranged symmetrically aroundthe centre axis.
 8. The tamper resistant lid of claim 1, wherein the atleast one stop member is arranged on the outer member and adapted to becontrollably disabled by removal from the outer member.
 9. The tamperresistant lid of claim 8, wherein the at least one stop member isremoved by imparting a designated rupture force to the at least one stopmember.
 10. The tamper resistant lid of claim 1, wherein the innermember, the outer member and the at least one stop member are integrallyformed in one piece of material.
 11. The tamper resistant lid of claim1, wherein the outer member and the inner member are formed fromseparate pieces of material.
 12. The tamper resistant lid of claim 11,wherein the at least one stop member is integrally formed in one pieceof material with either the inner member or the outer member.
 13. Thetamper resistant lid of claim 1, wherein the outer member and the innermember are substantially prevented from displacement along the centreaxis with respect to each other.
 14. An assembly comprising: a medicalwaste container, a tamper resistant lid comprising a centre axis; anouter member; an inner member; the outer member and the inner membereach comprise an outer surface and an inner surface wherein at least apart of the outer surface of the inner member is substantially adjacentat least a part of the inner surface of the outer member, the innermember having a connection means enabling a connection to a container bymeans of rotating the outer member in a first direction; and at leastone stop member preventing the inner member from rotation with respectto the outer member, wherein the outer member comprises a lock flange inworking cooperation with the inner member to substantially prevent theinner member from displacement along the centre axis with respect to theouter member, the at least one stop member attaches to thecircumferential lock flange of the outer member, wherein the at leastone stop member is adapted to be controllably disabled with a designatedforce after the inner member has been connected to the container, sothat the outer member can be freely rotated with respect to the innermember to thereby prevent removal of the tamper resistant lid from thecontainer.